• The remaining iconic rainbow balls that were up in the Montreal Gay Village until 2019 are now available for purchase.
• All proceeds from the sales will go to local merchants of the Village.
• Get more details below!
• Visit MTLBlog for more headlines.

Montreal will have to wait one more year to see the new hanging art installation that will replace the iconic rainbow ball canopy that ran a kilometre stretch over the Montreal Gay Village. During this difficult time, la Société de développement commercial du Village (Village Montréal) has made it the group's mission to focus on helping local merchants. 

As of yesterday, all of the remaining balls from landscape artist Claude Cormier’s "18 Shades of Gay" are now on sale online and all proceeds will go directly to those merchants in the area who are suffering in the new climate. 

The beloved rainbow ball canopy was made up of 180,000 multi-coloured balls that signified Montreal's inclusive attitude for the LGBTQ+ community.  The balls were put up for sale last year with a percentage of the proceeds donated to provincial charities. 

The remaining ball inventory, originally planned for the Sainte-Catherine summer boutique, is now available online with 100% of the proceeds going to create an emergency fund for struggling shop owners. 

The balls are $100 and come with 54 original balls in the single colour of your choice, the proper string, and instructions for installation. You can also purchase one single ball for $5, though you won't be able to choose the colour. 

The Village Montréal is abiding by all current government safety guidelines and while you can purchase your piece of Montreal history online there will be a delay in the distribution of the balls, until the social distancing is lifted. 

There is currently no delivery. Instead, after you make your purchase, you will receive an email with dates indicating when you can pick up your order based on your number. 

READ ALSO: The Montreal Gay Village Is Going To Be A Lot Less Colourful This Summer

The balls can only be used for private use — and obviously can't be used for commercial or public purposes.

If you are looking to decorate a ceiling in your house, you may want to order sooner rather than later, as many of the colours are already sold out. 

The new installation by architectural firms, Collectif Escargo and WXY Studio, "La Tête dans les nuages" ("Head in the Clouds") was set to be revealed this summer but has now been postponed to 2021.

Montreal's Rainbow Balls On Sale To Support Local Village Shop Owners

When: Until supplies last

Cost: $100 for 54 balls; $5 for one ball 

Order today!